[starsailor]

I've put a couple of light hearted songs on recently so here's something a bit deeper

Chemical Dependency


Verse 1

I had a friend got hooked on drugs
To free himself from the daily drudge
He thought he could float to the moon
On a Reefer or a silver spoon
But as he floated he descended
Was not the guy that I befriended
With shaking hands, pupils dilated
His need for fixes never sated
I watched the unfolding tragic scene
Tried so hard to intervene

Chorus

Drugs don't answer
Any questions
Just fill the brain
With mad reflections
You won't find serenity
From chemical dependency

Verse 2

I knew a man who abused drink
To the depths this man did sink
He got punchy, started fights
Went home at night and beat his spouse
One day she snapped and ran away
She took the kids and sold the house
Now he's homeless begs on the street
People throw coins at his feet
He makes some cash with the Big Issue
Rings his Wife to say I miss you
But she has no time for his pleas
Wounds may heal, not memories

Chorus

Drugs don't answer
Any questions
Just fill the brain
With mad reflections
You won't find serenity
With Chemical Dependency

Verse 3

A lonely Housewife
Gets prescribed Valium
Her life it seems is so humdrum
To Doctors they were magic beads
These Pills that fulfilled patients needs
But these Pills did not address
The reason why she's so depressed
They just led to a new affliction
A prescriptive Drug addiction

Chorus

Drugs don't answer
Any questions
Just fill the brain
With mad reflections
You won't find serenity
With Chemical Dependency

cgoodesongs 15/2/08

[MidnightRider]

starsailor, or Chirs is guess haha I really like this song, I think the lyrics are great even though I do not entirely agree with the message(as you'd see in my writing haha) but I like them anyways. What kind of music are you planning on putting them too?

[Aunt Doty]

Neat lyrics Starsailor!

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by windsong

It's a day in real life I guess for some people

Thanks for having a look Windsong.

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by MidnightRider

starsailor, or Chirs is guess haha I really like this song, I think the lyrics are great even though I do not entirely agree with the message(as you'd see in my writing haha) but I like them anyways. What kind of music are you planning on putting them too?

Thanks Midnight, I have a pretty open mind, X4String did a tune which was cool but I haven't really worked on this one, I'm a big fan of The Clash who were originally a Punk band but widened their range fusing different types of music including Reggae, I think you're thinking along those lines for you're music so if you have any ideas for this song please feel free to have a go, it would be good to see what you come up with, it's more a cautionary tale than a lecture as I haven't exactly been a Saint myself in the past, there's a rewrite on page one or two as I added another verse to tie the song up a bit, pleased you like the lyrics

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by Aunt Doty

Neat lyrics Starsailor!

Thanks for having a look Aunt Doty, hope you're well

[carol m]

I've only just caught up to this one, and thought that maybe this?

When I was younger, had less sense
I did try some experiments
But now I'm older, changed my ways
Don't spend my time in a Purple Haze
Seen all those Idols die so young
You hate the person you've become
One day you may not see the dawn
Sleep on a slab while (or and) no-one mourns

Nice lyrics, and great effort Kenny. Keep em coming (will I ever keep up? )

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by carol m

I've only just caught up to this one, and thought that maybe this?

When I was younger, had less sense
I did try some experiments
But now I'm older, changed my ways
Don't spend my time in a Purple Haze
Seen all those Idols die so young
You hate the person you've become
One day you may not see the dawn
Sleep on a slab while (or and) no-one mourns

Nice lyrics, and great effort Kenny. Keep em coming (will I ever keep up? )

Hey Carol that's a good change creates the feeling that everyone will give up on them and that sadly is true in some cases so that'a a poignant note to end the song on, great idea

[Noodler]

Great lyrics.

"One night you might not see the dawn" would make more sense in a few ways, in that most of those deaths occur at night (eg passing out and choking on their own vomit), and it would echo the darkness of the situation.

Somehow you've managed to not make it cheesy, which is bewdiful. You've told my story there, but I don't know how you're going to put it to music without it sounding preachy. Maybe best as a poem? It's a pretty good one.

I've got to respectfully disagree with Carol. I think the way you had it first was shocking, and it hit me between the eyes. I'd keep that. It's a very dark, heart-wrenching image, but that's your point, right?

Maybe one more verse about the virtues of living clean/ sober, being who you really are for those who love you, experiencing life without anaesthetic? To end on an upper (no pun intended!)

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by Noodler

Great lyrics.

"One night you might not see the dawn" would make more sense in a few ways, in that most of those deaths occur at night (eg passing out and choking on their own vomit), and it would echo the darkness of the situation.

Somehow you've managed to not make it cheesy, which is bewdiful. You've told my story there, but I don't know how you're going to put it to music without it sounding preachy. Maybe best as a poem? It's a pretty good one.

I've got to respectfully disagree with Carol. I think the way you had it first was shocking, and it hit me between the eyes. I'd keep that. It's a very dark, heart-wrenching image, but that's your point, right?

Maybe one more verse about the virtues of living clean/ sober, being who you really are for those who love you, experiencing life without anaesthetic? To end on an upper (no pun intended!)

Hi Noodler,

I can change it to that line, as you say most deaths do occur at night, I can also keep the other line the same, if it shocked you that was my intention so it works well, it was intended as a reality check, drugs, alcohol etc. as you know have a devastating affect not only on the user but the people around them.
I wouldn't have attempted to write this song if I had no experience, I did have a real drink problem 7 years ago, I had to completely change my life to stop the downward spiral, luckily my family stuck by me and I'm ok now, I've also lost a few friends to drugs and have a few that are pretty screwed up now so I'm pleased that it hasn't come across as cheesy I can see what you mean it would be quite easy to do. Thanks for having a look Noodler, I'm pleased you like it and hope that you are ok now and enjoying life.
Following your suggestion I've done another verse to see if you like it, you mentioned it may be a problem putting it to music without sounding preachy, I have put a tune to this that is quite dark to match the lyrics I plan to record it hopefully I've got the right balance but like you say it works ok as a poem so I can always leave it like that, I'd still be proud of it.
Here's the verse, tell me if it's too preachy or patronizing as I've tried hard to avoid that, hope you like it


Drugs don't answer any questions
Addicts just ignore suggestions
The only way back to good health
Is to want help yourself
To Want to change life redirect it
Without the need for anesthetics
To suffer the nightmares and the pain
Throw off the shackles with which your chained
A better life you may then find
With those you nearly left behind

Best Wishes

Chris

[Noodler]

I really like the second half of that verse, especially this:

A better life you may then find
With those you nearly left behind

Wow! So true, for those of us fortunate enough to stop before we died or the wife and family left us (and many aren't so lucky). I think that's a great ending. In the first verse, when drugs changed your friend to be someone that wasn't him, ....well, I've been welcomed back, and I that last couplet captures that sense of love and togetherness that has come with that.

BTW, yeah, things are going better for me. I've swapped addictions from booze to guitars. Going on for two years. Actually, I've swapped it for a penchant for guitar effects and GAS generally. Ask me anything you like about the Boss catalogue and amp modelling. I figure I'll always be addicted to something. May as well be something positive, healthy and fun.

After you've definitely finished writing your song, have look at a couple of tracks if you don't already know them:
Whiskey Lullaby - Brad Paisley and Alison Krause
Alcohol - Brad Paisley. The first is sad, the second is happy. Both great songs. I think your lyrics are better than the first song's, but it treats a serious subject...well, it captures a feeling. I think you might like it.

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by Noodler

I really like the second half of that verse, especially this:



Wow! So true, for those of us fortunate enough to stop before we died or the wife and family left us (and many aren't so lucky). I think that's a great ending. In the first verse, when drugs changed your friend to be someone that wasn't him, ....well, I've been welcomed back, and I that last couplet captures that sense of love and togetherness that has come with that.

BTW, yeah, things are going better for me. I've swapped addictions from booze to guitars. Going on for two years. Actually, I've swapped it for a penchant for guitar effects and GAS generally. Ask me anything you like about the Boss catalogue and amp modelling. I figure I'll always be addicted to something. May as well be something positive, healthy and fun.

After you've definitely finished writing your song, have look at a couple of tracks if you don't already know them:
Whiskey Lullaby - Brad Paisley and Alison Krause
Alcohol - Brad Paisley. The first is sad, the second is happy. Both great songs. I think your lyrics are better than the first song's, but it treats a serious subject...well, it captures a feeling. I think you might like it.

Good to know things have worked out ok for you Noodler, they've worked out ok for me too, I enjoy life much more now, and it's good to still have my Family around, like you say not everyone is so fortunate. I do have a bit of an addictive personality and I do get immersed in things, I am really into music now and do have the GAS syndrome, it though is a lot more positive than sitting in the pub all day and night and it's a lot more rewarding.
I think the song's nearly finished lyric wise but I might change the first half of that final verse, glad you liked the second half, I didn't want to say everything will be rosy in the garden and I thought those lines summed things up better. Glad it worked.
I'll check out those songs before I finish the song, they're both good Artists and it will be interesting to hear how they approach the subject, thanks for saying my lyrics were better than the first song that's boosted my ego.
Hope you have a good day Noodler, and great talking to you: thanks for the feedback. winkthumb:

All the Best

Chris

[Buchanan]

that's great

[carol m]

This has worked out really well Chris. The re-writes have paid off and you have lyrics/poem/song....whatever. Well done.

BTW
Preachy ain't peachy
But better than leachy
And also
I admire a man who ends a line with 'gain'
And doesn't get tempted to rhyme it with 'pain'
(from an earlier ditched version).

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by Buchanan

that's great

Thanks for having a look Buchanan, always appreciated

Originally Posted by carol m

This has worked out really well Chris. The re-writes have paid off and you have lyrics/poem/song....whatever. Well done.

BTW
Preachy ain't peachy
But better than leachy
And also
I admire a man who ends a line with 'gain'
And doesn't get tempted to rhyme it with 'pain'
(from an earlier ditched version).

Thanks Carol, I had a tune for this but used it on another song that it suited better, after talking with Noodler I put another verse in, for Noodler as they had experience of this, so it's more upbeat, drugs and drink are a tough road to go down but people can turn it around so this ending made the song a bit more optimistic.
It does become increasingly difficult to be original and get words to rhyme, another thing that happens is the songs start sounding the same, I fell into that trap a bit, so had to think about where I was going and have had to go back to practicing guitar more and broadening my range a bit, it will take time but it will make songwriting more interesting.
I'm working on your song by the way, I left a message on the Soppy Love Song thread, I'm doing a Demo then I'm hoping I can get my new interface working so I can do some decent recordings. Hope you're well good to have you around again

Best Wishes Carol and Buchanan

Chris

[JessThrasher]

I cant take this abuse no more either. Especially when my parents want me OUT THE FREAKING DOOR!

I wrote a poem about life on the streets one time remember?